Sidebar
Bullet Catch
This effect can be traced back to 1581, through a report of its performance in Jean Chassanion's Histoires memorables des grans et merveilleux jugemens et punitions de Dieu, 1581, p. 136. Chassanion's account carries a familiar tragic conclusion:
“Not long ago, in Lorraine, there was a fellow called de Couleu, who was involved in magic. Among other things, it was said that he had arquebus and pistol shots fired at him, and received all the bullets in his hand without being in any way offended. But one day, his servant, being angry with him, gave him such a pistol shot that killed him.”